The present convention having been concluded and duly signed, shall be obligatory and faithfully observed by the United States of America and Japan, and by the citizens and subjects of each respective power; and it is to be ratified and approved by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by the august sovereign of Japan, and the ratification shall be exchanged within eighteen months from the date of the signature thereof, or sooner if practicable. In faith whereof, we, the respective plenipotentiaries of the United States of America and the empire of Japan aforesaid, have signed and sealed these presents. Done at Kanagawa this thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, and of Kayei, the seventh year, third month, and third day. M. C. PERRY. “The respective plenipotentiaries” did not sign. The night before the signing of the treaty, the officials were aboard of the flag-ship until a very late hour, composing with great care the various prepared copies of the treaty, as they had been enrolled. In the Japanese copy they discovered an error in the formation of one character, which they desired to be altered to prevent as they said, any misconstruction hereafter. They did not understand the “ratification” of treaties: with them an obligation once signed, was full and complete, and they did not see any necessity for any supplementary action by the contracting parties. After the signing of the treaty the commodore intimated his purpose of going up to Yedo and saluting the emperor; if he could not reach the city in his steamers, he could in the ship’s boats. To this they objected. They were told if they had objections, they should have included them in the treaty. This treaty, it will be seen, is not one of commerce, but of friendship or amity. It is said that the Japanese had some objection to signing their copy with the words “Lord Jesus Christ” in it. It was understood, that Hakodade was not to be visited by the squadron, until fifty days had elapsed from the date of signing. The Japanese were desirous of knowing from our fleet-captain, whether the English and the French were coming up to Japan, when the American squadron should have left: the answer was, we did not know.